b'OUR SPEAKERSMaria BocanegraPresident, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Maria Bocanegra has primary responsibility for managing the daily operations, strategy and administrative activities for the two Illinois utilities, which together provide safe, reliable natural gas service to nearly 1 million customers in Chicago and 54 communities in its northern suburbs. Most recently, she was chief legal and government relations officer for the Port of Clevelandthe first in its 55-year history. She previously served as a commissioner on the Illinois Commerce Commission, regulating investor-owned electric, gas and water utilities in highly complex and technical matters. There, she gained national recognition in both the transportation electrification and water spaces, and served as chair of the EV Working Group and standing Committee on Water.Her prior board service includes the University of Missouri Financial Resource Institutes Advisory Council, New Mexico State Universitys Public Utilities Advisory Council, the National EV Charging Initiatives Advisory Council, World Resources Institutes Electric School Bus Advisory Council as co-chair, Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Ohio, Council of the Great Lakes Region and the Cleveland Water Alliance.Maria currently serves on the boards of Intersect Illinois, World Business Chicago, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Civic Committee and the Illinois Utilities Business Diversity Council. Marias prior public service includes work as an administrative law judge at the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission and as the public member of the Labor Advisory Board for the Illinois Department of Labor. Before entering public service, Maria practiced law focused on workers compensation, wage and hour issues, and personal injury claims. She has been recognized by Fortnightlys Under 40, Negocios Nows 40 Under 40, Negocios Nows Whos Who In Hispanic Chicago, Negocios Nows Rising Star and by Latino Leaders Magazine. Her work has been featured in Utility Dive, T&D World and Bloomberg Law News, and by the American Association of Port Authorities. She has presented/spoken before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, among others.12ILLINOIS BUSINESS LEADER'